|
| | |
Cranial arteritis
Cranial arteritis A vasculitic disorder which presents with head pain and scalp tenderness and a high ESR. Sudden loss of vision may occur due to retinal artery occlusion. Part of the polymyalgia rheumatica disease spectrum. Also known as giant cell or temporal arteritis.
RELATED TERMS--------------------------------------
Pain
An unpleasant sensory or emotional experience primarily associated with tissue damage, or described in terms of tissue damage, or both.
ESR
Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate. A blood test commonly used to detect/measure inflammation.
Vision
The sense of sight.
Retinal
Light-absorbing portion of rhodopsin. The absorption of light causes retinal to change from 11-cis to 11-trans configuration
Artery
A blood vessel that carries blood from the heart to the body.
Occlusion
Closure. Relationship of the upper and lower teeth upon closure.
Disease
Illness or sickness often characterized by typical patient problems (symptoms) and physical findings (signs). Disruption sequence: The events that occur when a fetus that is developing normally is subjected to a destructive agent such as the rubella (German measles) virus.
Cell
Fundamental structural unit of all life. The cell consists primarily of an outer plasma membrane, which separates it from the environment; the genetic material (DNA), which encodes heritable information for the maintainance of life; and the cytoplasm, a heterogeneous assemblage of ions, molecules, and fluid.
Temporal
Having to do with the side of the head.
Arteritis
Inflammation of blood vessels (arteries). Causes problems in the organs or tissues supplied by those arteries.
SIMILAR TERMS--------------------------------------
Cranial
The anatomical term for towards the head; also the general term for of the head. i.e. the lungs are cranial to the pelvis. See Caudal/Inferior/Superior
Cranial bone
Part of the top portion of the skull which protects the brain. The bones of the cranium include the frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
Cranial cavity
The skull.
Cranial nerve I
The first nerve to emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium). (There are twelve cranial nerves.) The first cranial nerve is the olfactory nerve which permits the sense of smell.
Cranial nerve II
The second cranial is the optic nerve, the nerve that connects the eye to the brain and carries the impulses formed by the retina -- the nerve layer that lines the back of the eye, senses light and creates the impulses -- to the brain which interprets them as images.
Cranial nerve III
The third cranial nerve is the oculomotor nerve. The cranial nerves emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column. There are twelve cranial nerves.
Cranial nerve IV
The fourth cranial nerve, the trochlear nerve, is the nerve supply to the superior oblique muscle of the eye, one of the muscles that moves the eye. Paralysis of the trochlear nerve results in rotation of the eyeball upward and outward (and, therefore, double vision).
Cranial nerve IX
The ninth cranial nerve is the glossopharyngeal nerve. The 12 cranial nerves, the glossopharyngeal nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column.
Cranial nerve V
The fifth cranial nerve is the trigeminal nerve. The trigeminal nerve is quite complex. It functions both as the chief nerve of sensation for the face and the motor nerve controlling the muscles of mastication (chewing).
Cranial nerve VI
The sixth cranial nerve is the abducent nerve. It is a small motor nerve that has one task: to supply a muscle called the lateral rectus muscle that moves the eye outward.
Cranial nerve VII
The cranial nerves emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column. There are twelve cranial nerves. The facial nerve is the seventh cranial nerve. The facial nerve supplies the muscles of facial expression.
Cranial nerve VIII
The eighth cranial nerve is the vestibulocochlear nerve. The vestibulocochlear nerve is responsible for the sense of hearing and it is also pertinent to balance, to the body position sense.
Cranial nerve X
The tenth cranial nerve, and one of the most important, is the vagus nerve. All twelve of the cranial nerves, the vagus nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column. The vagus nerve originates in the medulla oblongata, a part of the brain stem.
Cranial nerve XI
The eleventh cranial nerve is the accessory nerve. The twelve cranial nerves, the accessory nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium) as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column. The accessory is so-called because, although it arises in the brain, it receives an additional (accessory) root from the upper part of the spinal cord.
Cranial nerve XII
The twelfth cranial nerve is the hypoglossal nerve. The twelve cranial nerves, the hypoglossal nerve included, emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column.
Cranial nerves
"Nerves that emerge from or enter the skull (the cranium), as opposed to the spinal nerves which emerge from the vertebral column. Cranial nerves come directly from the brain through the skull. There are 12 cranial nerves each of which is accorded a Roman numeral and a name: Cranial nerve I: The olfactory nerve; Cranial nerve II: the optic nerve; Cranial nerve III: the oculomotor nerve; Cranial nerve IV: the trochlear nerve; Cranial nerve V: the trigeminal nerve; Cranial nerve VI: the abducent nerve; Cranial nerve VII: the facial nerve; Cranial nerve VIII: the vestibulocochlear nerve; Cranial nerve IX: the glossopharyngeal nerve; Cranial nerve X:the vagus nerve; Cranial nerve XI: the accessory nerve, and Cranial nerve XII: the hypoglossal nerve. The cranial nerves are nerves of the brain."
Craniectomy
Surgery performed on the skull where pieces of bone are removed to gain access to the brain, and the bone pieces are not replaced.
Cranio
Referring to the cranium, the top portion of the skull, the bony vault that protects the brain. As in craniocleidodysostosis, craniology, craniopharyngioma, craniotomy, etc.
Craniocleidodysostosis
"A genetic (inherited) disorder of bone development characterized by:1. Typical cranial and facial abnormalities with square skull, late closure of the sutures of the skull, late closure of the fontanels (the soft spots), low nasal bridge, delayed eruption of the teeth, abnormal permanent teeth, etc. 2. Absent or incompletely formed collar bones (the ""cleido-"" part refers to the clavicles, the collar bones) The child with this disorder can bring its shoulders together or nearly so."
Craniometaphyseal dysplasia
An inherited skeletal condition that involves abnormal bone formation and abnormal mineralization of the skull as well as the long bones. There is increased density of craniofacial bones beginning at the base of the skull during early childhood. The progressive thickening of the bones of the skull can lead to severe visual and neurological impairment, such as facial palsy and deafness. Typical facial features include a wide bridge of the nose and wide spacing of the eyes. The growth plates (metaphyses) of long bones are widened (Erlenmeyer flask-shaped) and show decreased density while the shafts of the long bones are thickened.
Craniopagus
Conjoined twins whose heads are fused together.
Craniopagus parasiticus
Conjoined twins joined at the head (craniopagus) in which a rudimentary head (with little or no body) is attached to the head of the larger and usually more normal twin. The rudimentary head was thought to be parasitic.
Craniopharyngioma
A type of benign brain tumor that emerges develops from embryonic tissue that forms part of the pituitary gland. Pressure on the pituitary by the tumor reduces the availability of the hormone vasopressin, raising the pressure within the cranium. A craniopharyngioma usually includes hard, calcified components within the tumor itself, and disrupts normal skull development in its vicinity. Treatment is usually via surgery.
Craniosynostosis
Premature closing of joints or sutures in the skull.
Craniotomy
A surgical opening of the skull.
Cranium
The skull, or bony structure of the head, that protects the brain.
PREVIOUS AND NEXT TERMS--------------------------------------
Collagen disease
See 'Connective tissue disease'.
Colles fracture
Fracture of distal radius and ulna just proximal to the wrist.
Connective tissue disease
Connective tissue diseases are inflammatory multisystem diseases characterised by evidence of autoimmunity (e.g. antibodies to cellular components) in which there are often prominent signs of involvement of the joints and other parts of the locomotor system. e.g. SLE.
Corticosteroids
Sometimes referred to just as 'steroids'. Hormones (which occur naturally) which have a variety of actions when given therapeutically. Usually administered for their anti-inflammatory effect. Their use is limited by unwanted side-effects which may sometimes be serious.
COX
Prostaglandins can be of either COX-1 or COX-2 type. COX-2 are inflammatory and COX-1 are cytoprotective - e.g. to gastric mucosa.
Cranial arteritis
C-reactive protein
A protein produced by the liver. An acute-phase reactant whose quantity serves as a guide to the presence and severity of inflammation.
Crepitus
Grating sensation or sound which may be appreciated on joint movement - signifies roughness of joint surfaces.
CREST Syndrome
Calcinosis, Raynaud's phenomenon, (O)Esophageal dysmotility, Sclerodactyly and Telangectasia. A variant of scleroderma - now usually referred to as Limited Cutaneous Scleroderma
Cryoglobuliaemia
Phenomenon of precipitation of immunoglobulins in serum on exposure to cold. Associated with vasculitis and Raynaud's phenomenon.
We thank you for using the Health Dictionary to search for Cranial arteritis. If you have a better definition for Cranial arteritis than the one presented here, please let us know by making use of the suggest a term option. This definition of Cranial arteritis may be disputed by other professionals. Our attempt is to provide easy definitions on Cranial arteritis and any other medical topic for the public at large.This dictionary contains 25007 terms. |
|
|
